TV Watching Children Have Less Control over Diabetes

Fri, 07 Oct 2011
Kids who watch more TV have poorer diabetes control.

Children with type 1 diabetes who vegetate for hours in front of a TV or computer every day could have lower blood sugar control.

These are the findings of new research. It is not necessarily screen time that worsens their condition.

It is the associated factors, such as, obesity, lack of exercise and family income, the study discovered.

The research involved 296 children, teenagers and young adult type 1 diabetics .

Those who watched four or more hours of telly daily or were on their PC for the same number of hours had higher haemoglobin A1C levels, a blood sugar control measure.

Their average haemoglobin A1C was 9.3 percent, as opposed to 8.5 per cent amongst their peers who were in front of a screen less.

Experts recommend that adults maintain their A1C levels below 7 percent, whilst levels in kids and teens should be 8.5 percent, dependent on age.

It is vital to rein in blood sugar as it assists the risk of long term diabetes complications, such as, heart disease, kidney disease, nerve damage and loss of vision.

People with type 1 diabetes have to inject insulin every day, usually around meal times, to control their blood sugar levels.

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